Swivel post lock assembly



Dec. 6, 1955 Filed May 8, 1955 E. B. LEAR ET AL SWIVEL POST LOCK ASSEMBLY 4 Sheet-Sheet l INVENTOR [HRL B. LEAR BY W/. M

H TY'OHNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1953 V J M? IN V EN TOR) EARL B-LEAR 8D0NALDBYR JAMHAMMER Dec. 6, 1955 E. B. LEAR L 2,726,066

SWIVEL POST LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed May 8, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet s IN V EN TORS f/IIPL B. LEAR 8c gamma F. sflMl-mmMER WW M 19 TTORNE Y Dec. 6, 1955 E. B. LEAR ETAL 2,726,066

SWIVEL POST LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed may 8, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /,L9;'.4 .7 59 zaz i x 1 W x Q INVENTORS Obi/[ALB E MHAMMER 4 TTORNEY United States Patent C) 2,726,066 SWIVEL POST LOCK ASSEMBLY Earl R. Lear and Donald F. Samhammer, Utica, N. Y., assignors to Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 8, 1953, Serial No. 353,834

7 Claims. (Cl. 255-51) This invention relates to swivel post lock assemblies and more particularly to a lock assembly adapted for use with mine and tunneling machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a swivel post lock assembly for mine and tunneling machines that will effectively and efiiciently lock the arm supporting the rock drill against rearward movement resulting from the heavy rearward thrust of the rock drill against the arm which is particularly occasioned when the arm is angled between 45 and 90 degrees and tunnel being made or of the track supporting the machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel post lock for the rock drill supporting armsof mine and tunneling machines which can be controlled from the outer end of the arm and at a remote point from the swivel lock so that the operator of the drill can readily free the arm for turning movement when it is necessary to set up the rock drill in a different location on the tunnel wall or other surface on which the machine is being used.

it is another object of the invention to provide a swivel post lock assembly in which the parts are spring locked and air released by operation of a control lever.

It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel post lock assembly with an eflicient and effective lock utilizing tapered surfaces of a pawl cone and tapered surfaces of pawls circumferentially-spaced about and engaging with the cone and so angled or inclined that the pawl cone will not stick to the pawls piston when the compressed air is turned on.

it is another object of the invention to provide a spring post lock assembly for use with mine and tunneling machines wherein the piston that is movable upon compressed air being delivered to the lock post assembly will be held firmly against the bottom of the cylinder when the pawl cone is in the locking position so that the piston will not bounce due to the vibration of the rock drill on its supporting ann.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a swivel post lock assembly means for holding the piston and the pawl cone lifted from the pawls so that it will be fixed against return movement and the lock released so that the rock drill supporting arm can have free swinging at times when the air pressure is turned off.

It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel lock post assembly for mine and tunneling machines which has a positive locking action resulting from the engagement of 90-degree pawl serrations with similar internal serrations on a rotatable member.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a lock device for a swivel post lock assembly of mine and tunneling machines having the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to assemble, compact, rugged and durable, convenient and easy to operate and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,

when released therefrom and is easily relieved by the hammering action of the,

reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mine and tunneling machine having two swivel post assemblies, each of which embody the lock of the present invention and with the rock drill supporting arms extending respectively from the swivel post assemblies;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and vertical sectional view of one of the swivel post assemblies and of the present locking mechanism associated therewith, the view being taken generally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and with the pawl cone in its spring-pressed lowered position to cause the pawls to engage the rotatable member and to hold the supporting arm against lateral swinging movement;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the position of the parts after the compressed air has been admitted thereto, the pawl cone lifted from its engagement with the pawls, and the pawls released from the rotatable member;

.Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view looking into the lock assembly and upon the cone, pawl, inner face transversely of the and other internal parts of the lock;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 with the pawls in engagement with the stationary member;

7 Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional fragmentary view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3 and with the pawls disengaged from the rotatable member and so that the supporting arm is free to swing; v

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the locking pawls removed from the assembly.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, 10 represents a carriage frame to which forward and rearward rail wheels 11 and 12 are journalled to support the carriage on spaced 7 rails 13 and 14 that are projected over the floor of a tunnel being drilled. The carriage frame 10 has a rear tender projection 15 having laterally spaced bins 16 and 17 into which various tools, supplies and pieces of the machine are placed so that they may be transported with the machine. Bracket projections 18 extend from the side of the frame 10 and side of the tender 15 for supporting other items such as long drill rods, and the like.

On the carriage frame 10 there is supported a swivel post base 19 to which swivel post assemblies 20 and 21 are attached. Rearwardly of the swivel post base 19 is'an oiler base 23 having oilers 24 and 25 that receive compressed air from a compressed air line 26 having a fitting 27 to which an air hose can be attached to supply air thereto, an air take off fitting 28, and valve fittings 29 and 34). An outlet elbow 31 extends from the oiler 24 and to this elbow is attached an air hose 32 that extends to a rock drill supporting arm 33 on the swivel post assembly 20. A similar elbow 34 is provided on the oiler 25 from which extends an air hose 36 that delivers air to a supporting arm 37 on the swivel post assembly 21. The oil is delivered to the moving parts with the air.

Roof jacks 38, 39 and 49 are pivotally connected to a bracket 41 and when putto use are extended so as to engage the roof of the tunnel and to hold the machine against rearward displacement on the tracks 13 and 14, when the machine is set up for operation with rock drills mounted on the ends of the supporting arms.

0n the outer end of the supporting arm 33 is a drill saddle mounting 42 to which a rock drill or drifter can be attached for pivotal adjustment in a well known manner. The rock' drill would be supplied by air from a fitting 43 on the arm 33. A valve control device 44 having a control handle 44is mounted on the end of the arm 33 and has hose connections 45 and 46 with a double-acting rotary air motor 47 pivotally connected to a bracket 48 on the arm 33 and adapted to turn an adjusting screw 49 in and out of a lifting sleeve 50. The

avaaoea lifting sleeve 51! is connected by a bifurcated fitting 51 and a pin 52 to a bracket 53 on turnable outer sleeve or rotatable member 54 of the swivel post assembly 20. The rotatable member 54 has a thrust bearing flange 55 rigidly secured to its lower end and travels upon a stationary circular base support 56. On the rotatable member 54 is an integral bearing bracket 58 to which a bifurcated fitting 59 of the supporting arm 33 is attached by means of a pivot pin 60 for vertical pivotal movement.

A hollow stationary swivel post or member 57 extends upwardly from the base support 56 and on this post the rotatable member 54 is rotated. Fixed to the upper end of the internal stationary swivel post 57 by means of welding 62 is a combined heavy-walled cylinder and pawl carrier 63 having an air piston chamber 64 in which a hollow piston 65 is worked A sealing connection of the piston 65 is made with the wall of the air chamber 64 by a rubber sealing ring 104. This piston 65 has an elongated shank portion 66 that extends upwardly therefrom and an annular top shoulder 63 adapted to hammer a pawl cone 69 having a tapered exterior conical surface 71 that engages with a corresponding tapered and curved surface 72 of each of a plurality of holding pawls 73 carried in a cage portion 7d projecting upwardly and integral with said heavy-walled cylinder and pawl carrier 63. The cylinder and pawl carrier 63 has an annular external flange '75 that engages the upper end of the internal stationary post 57.

Welded to the inner wall of the outer and rotatable sleeve 54 is an internally serrated sleeve 77 by means of welds 78. The inner periphery of this sleeve 77 is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth or serrations 77 having 90-degree included angle with which QG-degree ratchet teeth 79 of the'respecti've pawls 73 mesh which transmit the force tending to turn the supporting arm 33 and rotatable member 54 to cage 74 and that stationary swivel post 57. These pawls 73 are contained in a plurality of openings 30 of the cage portion 74 and are angularly-spaced apart.

The pawls 73, when the air pressure is off, are normally forced outwardly by the pawl cone 69 due to the action of a heavy coil spring 82 reacting between the upper end oi the cone 69 and a hollow plug 83 fitted into an opening 84 in the upper end of a rotatable member 54 and held therein by machine screws 85. The spring 82 at its upper end engages a packing 86 to prevent foreign matter from entering the assembly through piston shank opening 87 in which the shank slides.

To release the rotatable member 54, a valve 88 connected to the valve control device 44, Fig. 3 is turned to an open position so that air therefrom is directed through a tube 39 to a fitting 90 which is threaded to the upper end of piston shank 66 as indicated at 91. The valve 88 is a simple one and includes an outer sleeve body 92 having a central passage 93'and an exhaust port 94, a valve element 95 turnable in the body 92 having a through passage 96 and an angled exhaust hole 97extending from the passage 96 and a handle 98 for turning the valve element 95. When the valve handle 98 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, spring 82 will hold pawl cone 69 and the piston 68 is forced into chamber 64 by a second coil spring 99 surrounding piston shank 66, bottom of pawl cone 69 and acting upon piston shoulder 68. Air from chamber 64 may exhaust through central passage 93 and valve element port 97 and valve body exhaust port 94. At the same time, air is turned oil from its source. When handle 98 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 3, air is supplied to the piston through passage 96 and the exhaust port 94 is closed to the atmosphere. The piston shank 66 has a central hole 102 that conducts the air downwardly into chamber 64 of the cylinder 63 and into the enlarged opening 103 in the bottom of the piston 65. A rubber sealing ring 104 prevents leakage of air along the side wall of the chamber 64. As the air is supplied to the chamber 65, the piston is lifted and its annular shoulder 68 will hammer with the pawl cone 69 to cause positive release of the pawls 73, should they have become stuck.

It has been found that there is a critical angle at which the cone and the pawls may have their tapered surfaces. The internal tapered surface of the pawl at 73 is curved to fit the outer surface 71 of the pawl cone 69. The taper on both the cone and the pawls is held to a close tolerance of plus or minus one-half degree for the reason that if the taper is less than seven degrees, the pawls and cone have a tendency to stick together and will not release when the compressed air is turned on. On the other hand, if the taper is greater than eight degrees, the rotating pressure of the internal serrations 77 of the sleeve upon the teeth 79 of the pawls will overcome the holding effect of spring 82 on the pawl cone 69. When the pawl cone is raised, the serrations '77 of the sleeve will ride out of the pawl teeth '79. It has thus been determined that tapers of seven and one-half degrees must be maintained for effecting positive locking action and proper release of the pawl cone.

If it is desired to positively hold the piston 65 elevated and the rock drill supporting arm 33 free to turn, a pin 305 is slid over the top surface of the plug or bushing 83 and into any one of the holes 1296 on the piston shank 66.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided an effective and efficient swivel post assembly for mine and tunneling machines.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a swivel post lock assembly a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on the swivel post member and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation with respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engageable with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber and means for supplying air to said chamber.

2. In a swivel post lock assembly, a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on the swivel post member and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation with respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engage able with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber, each of: said pawls having ninety-degree included angle serrations thereon and approximately a seven and one-half degree curved tapered inner cone-engaging face, said rotatable member having ninety-degree included angle serrations for receiving the serrations of the pawls and said pawl cone having cone surface running approximately seven and one-half de grees to the cone axis and said pawls having similarly tapered and cooperating curved faces engageable with the cone surface.

3. In a swivel post lock assembly, a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on tne swivel post mehfoer and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation with respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engageable with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber, said piston having a vertically extending shank portion with an air opening therein for supplying the air to said chamber.

4. In a swivel post lock assembly a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on the swivel post member and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation with respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engageable with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber and means for supplying air to said chamber, spring means acting upon said cone to normally force the cone into engagement with said pawls.

5. In a swivel post lock assembly a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on the swivel post member and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation with respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engageable with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber, means for supplying air to said chamber, spring means acting upon said cone to normally force the cone into engagement with said pawls, and further spring means reacting between said pawl cone and said piston to extend the piston into the cylinder and beyond the face of the cone whereby upon actuation of said piston a hammering action will be eflfected upon said cone to positively release the cone from the pawls upon air pressure being supplied to the chamber.

6. In a swivel post lock assembly, a stationary swivel post member, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post member, pawl elements carried on the swivel post member and engageable with the rotatable member and adapted to normally lock the rotatable member against rotation With respect thereto, said stationary swivel post member having an air chamber, a pawl cone operable within said stationary swivel post member and engage able with said pawls to normally hold the same in their locked positions and the rotatable member against rotation on the swivel post member, a piston operable in said air chamber upon delivery of air pressure thereto to lift the cone out of engagement with the pawls when extended from the chamber, said piston having a vertically extend ing shank portion with an air opening therein for supply ing the air to said chamber, bushing means mounted on said rotatable member and having an opening through which the shank of the piston may slide, spring means normally urging the cone and the piston downwardly for engagement of the cone with the pawls and to place the pawls in locking engagement with the rotatable member and manually applied means engageable with the bushing and with the shank of the piston upon the piston being extended from the chamber and the shank elevated through the bushing whereby to hold the shank elevated and the locking parts out of their locking positions when the air has been turned off.

7. In a swivel post assembly adapted for use on tunneling machines a hollow stationary swivel post member, a combined cylinder and pawl cage fixed to the upper end of the stationary swivel post member and having circumferentially-spaced pawl openings therein, a rotatable member journalled on the swivel post, on which a drill supporting arm may be connected, having internal verticallyextending ninety-degree included angle serrations on its inner face laterally aligned with the pawl openings, pawls respectively mounted in the pawl openings of the cage and slidable radially within said openings, said pawls respectively having ninety-degree included angle serrations adapted to match in locking engagement with the serrations of the rotatable member and also respectively having inner tapered conical faces, a piston operable in said chamber and having a shank extending upwardly beyond the upper end of the rotatable member, bushing means mounted on the upper end of the rotatable member and slidably receiving said shank portion of the piston, a tapered cone engageable with the tapered faces of the pawls, spring means surrounding the piston shank and reacting between the bushing and the cone to engage the cone with the pawls and thereby to force the serrations of the pawls into locking engagement with the serrations of the rotatable member, said piston being engageable with the cone to disengage the cone from the pawls and to compress the spring means upon air being supplied to the chamber and the piston extended therefrom, and fur ther spring means extending between the cone and the piston to cause the piston to be normally disengaged from the cone and to allow the piston to have a hammering action upon the cone upon the air pressure being supplied to the air chamber to raise the piston and whereby the cone will be positively released by this action from the pawls and the assembly unlocked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,435,899 Page Feb. 10, 1948 2,616,667 Dick Nov. 4, 1952 2,500,932 Curtis et al Mar. 21, 1950 

